Archive: Interviews

Instagram lights up when Scout the City’s London Scout dons her latest fashion find! Although the four year old style maven reportedly would choose her Elsa outfit if she had her way, when not in princess mode, Scout’s seen sporting “it” brands in the indie kids’ market, from Barcelona-based Bobo Choses to Mexican luxe label Little Miss Galia. Her mom, Sai, serves as her parental paparazzi, posting Scout snaps daily for a dose of city kid style.

“It all started because my single New York friends were sick of me posting my child on Facebook every 10 minutes (I thought I’d never be that mom),” says Sai. She says Scout the City became her alt outlet for the pics—a digital diary of their favorite children’s brands worn with Scout’s unique and candid street style. Clearly people are loving it: at the time of writing (and after 9 short months), Scout’s amassed a following of 40,000! We are big fans of the duo, and were psyched to chat with them about their favorite spots in the Big Apple. We suggest you give these city hot spots whirl—and snap a pic while you’re at it!

EAT

This is clearly a question that little London Scout relishes and her answers are nuanced:

Best macaroni and cheese (a category of its own): Atrium in Dumbo—Mom notes that the place is always filled with other well-behaved toddlers for Scout to socialize with.

Lunch Fix: Though dinner can be a little more formal, for lunch it’s all about sushi at Nobu. Scout adores the vegetable rolls and edamame.

Yummiest Dinner: Both mother and daughter light up at the mention of Gran Electrica—a very cute Mexican restaurant in Brooklyn. Scout calls it the “bubble man restaurant” because they have sketches of dancing skeletons with round heads on the wall.

Sweet Spots: Scout doesn’t only have one, she’s got two. One Girl Cookies is always the favorite for cookies and hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows, while Dewey’s candy shop in Brooklyn is home to her favorite lollipops and Pez dispensers.

Culture Rich Imaginary Play: Brooklyn Children’s Museum. It’s been around for some time—in fact it opened in 1899! There are miniature markets boasting everything from Italian pizza and West African beauty products to Chinese lanterns and Caribbean masquerade costumes.

Picturesque & Fun: Jane’s Carousel. The beautiful glass encased carousel sits on a raised platform in the East River, has breathtaking views of the city and is only $2 to pony up!

Awesome Afternoon: Pier 6 Playground at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It’s heaven for children, especially during summer months. Scout’s favorite playspaces at Pier 6 are “The Water Lab”, with water jets, and a mini river; “Slide Mountain” with two jungle gyms, a few super fast slides and climbing structures; “Sandbox Village,” the biggest sandbox in Brooklyn; and “Swing Valley” with 10 new swing sets for all ages as well as Tarzan-styled ropes.

LOVE

Scout is in her element living in the city, says Sai. “She loves her diverse group of friends, ballet class and riding the subway! City life encourages her to be confident, outspoken and open minded to trying new things.”

Babesta scored a backstage pass with a brand that’s been rockin’ the cradle since 2003 with a top-of-the-charts kids’ fashion line.

What’s the playlist of your closet? If you’re a fan of hip baby tee company, Rowdy Sprout, your rotation might include Johnny Cash, Sublime, Jimi Hendrix, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen—and lots of Grateful Dead and Dylan. California native Laura Angotti, the brand’s founder and self-proclaimed “hippy at heart,” has been rocking the kids’ fashion world with her band tees since 2003. Formerly an art installer (she used to hang classics on the walls of everywhere from the Guggenheim to the New York Historical Society), Angotti got an opportunity to appease her love for fashion. Ten years ago, at the behest of a friend, she says, “I made 26 iron on transfer band tees.” She was excited by the idea of shaking up the very pink and blue baby world with something more edgy. Her concept quickly made its way up the fashion charts, and now a decade later, the hits keep coming.

We got to chat with Angotti about what’s new at Rowdy Sprout, her new collection “Unplugged” and why, when other trends come and go, the music always plays on.

Were you ever in a band? OMG I have serious musical envy—I’ve never been in a band and don’t play an instrument. I sing, but not well!

If you ever started a band, what would be your band’s name? The name of my band would be “The Blistered Nipples.” We’d play a mix between folk and punk rock. I would be a singer/guitar player. We would definitely hit small venues all over the world—Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, NYC, and all over USA.

OK, you’ve been making band tees for a decade. Music changes a lot in 10 years. Does musical taste in fashion change? It’s funny because the truth is the same bands are still my best sellers. ACDC, Beatles, anything with Grateful Dead. I constantly am searching for new bands and new licenses but it’s harder than you would imagine to find the people who have the authority to license merch. And then you come across a lot of companies that do everything in house and won’t work with anyone else which is a real bummer.

How has Rowdy Sprout changed over the years? The longer I do this, the more seriously the bands and merch companies take me. At first it was really hard to get bands and companies to give me license rights. Over time it’s gotten a little easier but unfortunately the bands and companies are getting harder and harder to work with. I have found that I have to work five times as hard to get the same amount of shirts approved. However, over the years, I have also created a much better product than what I first started with—lots of variety in color and style. I also now have two children which has made a huge difference in my design. In fact, my daughter has inspired me to create a whole new look for girls (coming spring ’15!)

This season, you launch your new Unplugged line–how did that come about? I’m so excited about Rowdy Sprout Unplugged. The bands are great but many have gotten harder and harder to work with. Unplugged was originally started so I could have something that I have complete control over. I love a good tee shirt and vintage inspiration is always big for me. Of course, I also design things out of need in the marketplace. The sweatpants were created because I simply can never find cool sweats for my kids. I think comfort is key for kids and why not look cool at the same time?

Why do you think it’s so important for kids to be exposed to music? I think music shapes us from a very early age. I have memories of music that are almost more palpable than any other memory. Like chocolate, I think music is one of the finer things in life and very important to share with your children!

What do you listen to at home? We listen to a lot of everything. My husband is the DJ of the household mostly! We listen to Spotify all the time and get lots of new music from there. Our current favorite song is by Lord Huron “Ends of the Earth” It also happens to be in my kids’ favorite movie “Walking With Dinosaurs.”

If you could meet any musician, dead or alive, who would it be and why? Easy, that’s Bob Dylan! Lyrical genius.

“I love Instagram because I can tell a story with images,” says Lynn Levoy, a seasoned fashion stylist who’s worked for magazines like Elle, New York Magazine and Vanity Fair. “It creates more of a mood than other social media outlets and allows me to be more personal and take it to the next level.” Levoy has been lending her talent to the Babesta Instagram account and often shoots looks on her 4 ½ year old son, Callum, our cover model. We caught up with her to chat about her fab sense of style and the fun of raising a kid in the city.

What’s your definition of cool?

Rather than “cool,” I like to think in terms of “effortless.” Which for me is the ultimate–creating a vibe without trying.

Do you have a signature style?

I don’t overthink fashion. I dress for my mood. I usually have one thing in mind that I want to wear and then base my outfit for the day around that. I try to pass that on to Callum. I never want him to think of clothes as more than just a form of self-expression, like art.

He’s only 4 ½ but he already has quite a bit to say in terms of what and how he wears his clothes. I just let him do his thing and guide him when I can, so he can continue to develop his own unique style…

How would you describe raising a child in NYC?

…ahhhhhh, where to begin…Beyond amazing because of the amount of exposure children have to so many types of people and the everyday world around them. Challenging for parents for that same reason. There’s so much stimulation on a daily basis and we’re all just trying to find that right balance of parenting, work, social…

I love being a part of Callum’s universe and experiencing life through his eyes.

How do you get ready for back-to-school?

Nothing is better than Back to School shopping ! Each Fall season it still brings back such vivid memories upon returning to school each year. The sheer excitement of those first Fall brisk mornings, bundled and layered with sweaters, jackets, cool scarves, especially after a long hot summer. So, as Callum prepares to return to school this year, I’ve already begun to plan his must haves…

I am all about layering and I think for kids, its essential. They are always running around, inside and outside, so I find they are always hot or cold, never in between. I love long sleeve tees layered with hoodies and cardigans. Bobo Choses’ green hoodie is the perfect layering piece with a pop of color. And as with everything they do, it’s super comfy and

“First question (it’s on all of our minds!): Given that you and Heidi Klum both have kids’ lines, what are the chances of an upcoming Project Runway Kids show?” He shakes his head and laughs. “She’ll have to really step up her game before that happens.” That’s Jeffrey —the bad boy instigator who had us glued to Project Runway (Season 3) and most recently, Project Runway All Stars.

“What would be fun,” he continues, “is if the kids worked with professional seamstresses, and you could tap into their minds for design, but a seamstress sewed the garments.”

Now on his fifth season in kids’ fashion, Sebelia admits that it surprised him how much he connected with childrenswear. “As a designer, of course I love womenswear. I also love menswear and making things that I like for myself,” he says. Although initially rebuffing the idea of childrenswear, he found he was compelled by the challenge of it. “I love creating something that’s both exciting and appropriate, elevated without being too sophisticated.”

Having shown on runways from Moscow to Milan, Estonian fashion designer Xenia Joost is known for her high style women’s collections, but this season she tries her hand at kidswear. From our recent chat, it’s clear Joost is having fun in this new market and eager to make her mark in children’s fashion.

Why did you decide to bring your line from adult fashion into children’s fashion?

Fashion is not a job for me, rather a lifestyle—and it’s not only for me, but for my family as well. In 2008, my first daughter Aleksandra was born (she quickly hopped on the fashion train too), and came to work with me, touched the fabrics, cut and crafted. We picked fabrics together and I sewed little dresses for her. My friends saw these designs and wanted the clothes for their children also! A whole collection grew from one dress.

Elyse Kroll, the interior designer who transformed Babesta Threads last year, offers some tips on designing a standout nursery, toddler or kid’s room.

1. Create a comfy reading nook.

Instill a lifelong love of reading with a special spot devoted to it. Choose a grown-up sized upholstered chair (for reading together) with an easy-care slipcover that can go in the wash. A reading chair should have its own lighting source. Skip the overhead lighting when reading in favor of a nearby standing lamp or table lamp.

2. Involve your child in the design process.

The surefire way to create a room your kid will love is to let him make some of the key choices, particularly with color. Since a favorite color can change from one year to the next, limit these decisions to things that are easy to change as well, like an accent wall or pillowcases.

3. Pick an easy rug to maintain.

Indoor/outdoor area rugs are a great choice for kids’ rooms – they now come in more patterns and colors than ever, and can literally be sprayed clean with water. Or consider a colorful mix of carpet tiles – it’s easier to replace a stained tile or two than an entire rug.

4. Choose furnishings that grow with your child.

Invest in pieces that don’t scream “baby furniture.” While bedding and accessories can be easily changed wiht your child’s evolving tastes, a foundation of white and neutral furniture with clean lines will last through childhood and even the teen years.

5. Mix old & new.

The most interesting, dynamic rooms contain a mix of newer furnishings combined with unexpected vintage pieces. An old chandelier can be painted a fun color and used as the main lighting source of a nursery. Or turn an ornate, antique picture frame into a magnetic chalkboard. The charm is all in the mix.